Zan News: The World Food Programme (WFP) states that over 12 million people in Afghanistan don’t know where their next meal will come from. File photo: Staff Sgt. Russell Lee Klika / U.S. Army National Guard / Public Domain WFP: Over 12 Million People in Afghanistan Don’t Know Where Their Next Meal Will Come From September 17, 2024 Zan News Zan News: The World Food Programme (WFP) states that over 12 million people in Afghanistan don’t know where their next meal will come from. In a post on social media platform X on Tuesday (September 17), the organization said that around four million children, infants, and breastfeeding mothers in Afghanistan are also suffering from malnutrition. The WFP emphasized the urgent need for $677 million in funding to continue its humanitarian activities over the next six months. Earlier in June this year, the organization had announced that a quarter of the Afghan population goes to bed hungry and called for increased funding to help those in need. Due to a "budget crisis," the WFP announced in July that it would only be able to provide food assistance to one million people until October. According to statistics released by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), 23.7 million people in Afghanistan will need humanitarian assistance this year. OCHA had requested $3.06 billion to address this crisis but recently announced that only 25% of this budget has been secured.

Zan News: The United Nations Security Council, in a recent statement, has called for the repeal of the Taliban's "Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice" law and the ban on female access to health institutes. File photo: Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain The UN Security Council Calls on the Taliban to Fully Respect Women’s Rights December 28, 2024 Zan News Zan News: The United Nations Security Council, in a recent statement, has called for the repeal of the Taliban's "Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice" law and the ban on female access to health institutes. On Saturday (December 28), the Council urged the Taliban to fully respect women’s rights. The statement also demanded that the Taliban refrain from harboring terrorist groups within Afghanistan and take action against them. These decisions were adopted during a Security Council meeting on Afghanistan held on December 12. The Council expressed concerns over Afghanistan's economic crisis and obstacles to humanitarian aid delivery, calling for the removal of these barriers. The statement noted: "Members of the UN Security Council express concern over the dire economic situation and obstacles to humanitarian aid delivery in Afghanistan and urge for their removal." Additionally, the Council called for the release of Afghanistan’s frozen central bank assets and highlighted that drug cultivation in Afghanistan provides financial support to terrorist groups that pose a threat to global and regional security, urging immediate action to curb it. The UN Security Council also emphasized the United Nations’ critical role in ensuring peace and stability in Afghanistan and advocated for engagement with the Taliban through the Doha process. Meanwhile, the Taliban have consistently dismissed global concerns over human rights violations, restrictions on women, and the presence of terrorist groups in Afghanistan as unfounded.

Zan News: The British Embassy for Afghanistan states that in 2023, they have provided humanitarian aid to more than 2.7 million people in the country, among whom 1.3 million were Afghan women who benefited from this assistance. File photo: Staff Sgt. Russell Lee Klika / U.S. Army National Guard / Public Domain Britain Assisted Over One Million Women in Afghanistan in 2023 August 20, 2024 Zan News Zan News: The British Embassy for Afghanistan states that in 2023, they have provided humanitarian aid to more than 2.7 million people in the country, among whom 1.3 million were Afghan women who benefited from this assistance. In a message released on Monday (August 19th) to mark World Humanitarian Day, the embassy emphasized that it would continue its collaboration with international partners to improve the difficult humanitarian situation in Afghanistan. Robert Dickson, the chargé d'affaires of the British Embassy for Afghanistan, also mentioned his recent visit to Kabul, stating that Britain's humanitarian efforts have had a positive impact on the lives of the people in this country. It is worth noting that Irish officials have previously announced that, on the occasion of World Humanitarian Day, their country will provide €150 million in aid to Afghanistan, Palestine, Yemen, Sudan, and Ukraine. Meanwhile, the United Nations has designated August 19th as World Humanitarian Day and announced in a statement that in 2023, 280 aid workers have lost their lives in 33 countries.

Zan News: The World Food Program has announced that over seven million people in Afghanistan are deprived of life-saving aid this winter. File photo: Staff Sgt. Russell Lee Klika / U.S. Army National Guard / Public Domain World Food Program: Over Seven Million People in Afghanistan Are Deprived of Life-Saving Aid January 2, 2025 Zan News Zan News: The World Food Program has announced that over seven million people in Afghanistan are deprived of life-saving aid this winter. The organization stated on Thursday (January 2) on its X page that due to a shortage of funds, it is unable to assist all those in need. The World Food Program emphasized: "Families are faced with the difficult choice of whether to feed their children or keep their homes warm." The organization also noted that providing aid during the winter, especially to Afghanistan's remote and hard-to-reach areas, has posed significant challenges. The World Food Program has called for the acceleration of aid to address the needs of the people in Afghanistan. It is worth mentioning that the organization had previously stressed that around 14 million people need urgent assistance during the winter season.

Zan News: A number of human rights activists say that since the Taliban's return to power in Afghanistan, human rights violations, particularly women's rights, have increased. File photo: Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain Human Rights Activists: Human Rights Violations, Especially Women's Rights, Have Increased Since the Taliban's Return to Power November 16, 2024 Zan News Zan News: A number of human rights activists say that since the Taliban's return to power in Afghanistan, human rights violations, particularly women's rights, have increased. Global Issues reported on Friday (15 November), quoting Heather Barr, the deputy director of the women’s section at Human Rights Watch, that over the past three years, around 60,000 women have lost their jobs due to the restrictions imposed by the Taliban. According to human rights activists, the Taliban's restrictions on women have intensified in recent months. Barr emphasized that human rights defenders continue to fight against the Taliban's policies. Based on available information, over the past three years, cases of forced marriages and child marriages have sharply increased due to girls being deprived of education. Henrietta Fore, the former UNICEF director, said in this regard: "Given that many adolescent girls are still not allowed to return to school, the risk of child marriage is now greater." UNICEF findings indicate that 28% of Afghan women aged 15 to 49 have married in exchange for a dowry. The report also stresses that the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan has worsened, and millions of Afghan women are facing gender-based discrimination. According to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), after the Taliban's restrictions on women's work, Afghanistan's income has decreased by more than 20%, and the country is now among the poorest in the world. International organizations have also stated that nearly 2.5 million Afghan girls are deprived of access to education. It should be noted that the Taliban have imposed severe restrictions on women and girls over the past three years. The Taliban claim that they are committed to women's rights in accordance with "Islamic Sharia." Meanwhile, last week, the British newspaper The Guardian reported, citing journalist Melissa Cornet and photographer Kiana Hayari, that some girls, after the Taliban banned their education, have been forced into work or marriage.

Zan News: The U.S. Embassy for Afghanistan has stated, in connection with the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, that women in Afghanistan continue to face serious challenges, including violence, discrimination, and injustice. File photo: Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain U.S. Embassy: Afghan Women Continue to Face Violence and Discrimination November 27, 2024 Zan News Zan News: The U.S. Embassy for Afghanistan has stated, in connection with the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, that women in Afghanistan continue to face serious challenges, including violence, discrimination, and injustice. In a message shared on the social media platform X, the embassy referencing the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence campaign and emphasized that it stands with the women of Afghanistan. The embassy added: "Every woman deserves to live free from fear." The U.S. Embassy for Afghanistan also called on the international community to work toward empowering and protecting Afghan women for their future.

Zan News: Local sources in Badghis province have reported that the Taliban have banned the broadcast of women’s voices on radios in the province. Illustration: Zan TV / AI-generated Taliban Ban the Broadcast of Women’s Voices on Radios in Badghis January 16, 2025 Abdullah Naseri Zan News: Local sources in Badghis province have reported that the Taliban have banned the broadcast of women’s voices on radios in the province. Sources said on Thursday (January 16) that the Taliban’s Department of Information and Culture in Badghis raised this issue in a meeting with journalists and media managers the day before. According to the Department of Information and Culture of the Taliban, based on the group's law of "Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice," "a woman's voice is considered awrah", and hence, the broadcast of women’s voices on radios will be prohibited from now on. The Taliban in Badghis have not officially commented on this matter so far. This action comes at a time when the Taliban’s Department of Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice in Herat province has also recently prohibited female newscasters from reading the news, citing the reason of causing temptation and provoking men.

Zan News: The French Foreign Ministry has condemned the ongoing severe restrictions against women and girls in Afghanistan, stating that the exclusion of women and girls from public life makes Afghanistan's progress impossible. File photo: Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain French Foreign Ministry: Exclusion of Women and Girls from Public Life Makes Afghanistan's Progress Impossible August 17, 2024 Zan News Zan News: The French Foreign Ministry has condemned the ongoing severe restrictions against women and girls in Afghanistan, stating that the exclusion of women and girls from public life makes Afghanistan's progress impossible. In a statement, the ministry emphasized that as long as violence and threats against women and girls continue in Afghanistan, the country's return to normalcy will not be possible. The French Foreign Ministry denounced the violation of the rights of women and girls in Afghanistan and described the Taliban's decision to ban women from education and work as "unacceptable and unjustified." In the statement, the French government, noting that three years have passed since the Taliban took control of Afghanistan, said it is committed to its pledges to use all means of pressure to improve the situation of the Afghan people. Furthermore, the French Foreign Ministry accused the Taliban of failing to comply with UN Security Council Resolution 2593, stating that the group has not adhered to its commitments and has repeatedly violated human rights. This comes as the Taliban have imposed severe restrictions on girls and women in Afghanistan over the past three years, including banning them from attending schools and universities, going to sports clubs, restaurants, public baths, and working in domestic and international non-governmental organizations, even UN offices in Afghanistan.

One day after March 17 (National Journalists Day in the country), the Afghanistan Journalists Center reported a new ban by the Taliban on broadcasting women's voices from media outlets. In a report, the organization stated that the Taliban’s Information and Culture Department has issued a new directive to the media in this province, instructing them to refrain from broadcasting women's voices. Illustration: Zan TV / AI-generated Taliban’s New Lock on Women’s Voices; Female Journalists’ Voices Banned in Kandahar Media Ariahn Raya One day after March 17 (National Journalists Day in the country), the Afghanistan Journalists Center reported a new ban by the Taliban on broadcasting women's voices from media outlets. In a report, the organization stated that the Taliban’s Information and Culture Department has issued a new directive to the media in this province, instructing them to refrain from broadcasting women's voices. Nevertheless, female journalists in Afghanistan have criticized the Taliban’s extensive restrictions on the activities of women and girls in the media, saying that by issuing decrees and imposing limitations, the Taliban have eliminated women from political organizations, and now it is time to remove women from the media community. Freshta Bator, one of the female journalists, said in a mocking and sarcastic tone that the Taliban issued this ban on the occasion of National Journalists Day and as a reward for the efforts and achievements of women journalists. Bator told Zan TV: "By God, it's shameful—just look at what the world thinks. Look at our Muslim rulers, who are scheming every day on how to destroy women; every day they impose another ban on women's activities. It is truly disgraceful—perhaps they issued this ban on National Journalists Day and in support of women." Nargis Samim, another female journalist, said, "The Taliban's actions are unacceptable. They think that all people are simpletons from the plains and mountains, while people's minds have changed so much that it will never be possible for the Taliban to silence the voices of the people." Nevertheless, media activists say that female journalists also have suffered the most over the past twenty years; as soon as the path for their media work became somewhat open, the Taliban silenced their voices. Diana Soroush, one of the media activists, said: "In the beginning, Afghan women experienced many harms, including family restrictions, negative societal attitudes, and even assassinations. But when, about eight to ten years ago, broader opportunities for them became available, the Taliban took power and destroyed all of women's achievements." It is worth noting that recently, not only have the Taliban imposed additional restrictions and bans on the activities of female journalists, but following the issuance of these decrees, domestic media in Afghanistan have also been forced to either cease operations or resort to self-censorship. This comes as Afghanistan ranked 178th out of 180 countries in the Reporters Without Borders index for 2024.

Zan News: Local sources in Paktika province report that the Taliban have banned journalists from photographing living creatures in the province. Illustration: Zan TV / AI-generated Taliban Ban Photography of Living Creatures in Paktika January 27, 2025 Zan News Zan News: Local sources in Paktika province report that the Taliban have banned journalists from photographing living creatures in the province. Sources stated on Monday (January 27) that this decision was communicated to journalists last week in a meeting held by the Taliban's Information and Culture Department in Paktika. Officials at the Taliban's Information and Culture Department in the province explained that the decision was made in accordance with the law of "Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice." This decision comes at a time when, over the past three months, the Taliban have imposed a complete ban on photography and videography in at least ten provinces of Afghanistan, which has led some media outlets to face closure.